Pulse imparter

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for imparting an electrical pulse to a flowing stream of water having an inlet and outlet, a cathode within said housing in the path of said stream and an electric pulse generating means connected to said cathode.

p 11, 1973 P. E. PENDERGRASS 3,758,399

PULSE IMPARTER 2 Sheets-Sh. 1

Filed Feb. 9. 1970 INVENTOI? PA UL PENDERGRASS ATTORNEY p 11, 1973 P. E.PENDERGRASS 3,758,399

PULSE IMPARTER 2 Sheets-Shoat 2 Filed Feb. 9. 1970 //v v/vr0/? PA UL PENOE RGRA 55 FIG? 2 ATT FIVE) United States Patent 3,758,399 PULSEIMPARTER Paul E. Pendergrass, Billings, Mont, assignor to Tri-TronInternational, Billings, Mont. Filed Feb. 9, 1970, Ser. No. 9,743 Int.Cl. B01k 3/00; C22d N02 US. Cl. 204-228 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE An apparatus for imparting an electrical pulse to a flowingstream of water having an inlet and outlet, a cathode within saidhousing in the path of said stream and an electric pulse generatingmeans connected to said cathode.

the following detailed description when viewed in light of theaccompanying drawings wherein like components thereof are indicated bylike numerals throughout the figures and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view of an apparatus in accordancewith the invention, together with pulse generating circuitry.

FIG. 2 is a variation in the electrical circuitry of the device of FIG.1; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a parallel ganged arrangement of devices inaccordance with the invention.

In FIG. 1, a water treating apparatus, in accordance with the inventionshown generally as 4, is composed of a cylindrical tank 6 having aninlet 8 at one end thereof and an outlet 10 the other end thereof.

An electrode conductor 24 is connected to the anode 13 through the ring20. One end of tank 6 is enclosed by a cap 11. The other end of tank 6is enclosed by a closure assembly 12. The assembly 12 supports anelongated anode 13 within and in spored relationship to the tank 6. Oneend of the anode 13 is affixed to a non-conducting plastic disc 14. Asecond plastic disc 15 is secured to disc 14 by way of a screw 16. Disc15 is apertured at 17 and the end of anode 13 is threadably bored at 18to receive the screw 16. An annular ring 9, of copper or otherconducting material, is secured about the outer periphery of disc 15. Asmaller ring 20, of copper or other conducting material, is disposed ondisc 15 inwardly of the ring 19. The ring 19 is also apertured toreceive the screw 16.

The assembly 12 further includes a brass retainer sleeve 21 having aninwardly directed flange 22 adapted to abut the end of tank 6. The outersurface of sleeve 21 is threaded to receive threaded collar 23. Thecollar 23 is formed with an inwardly directed flange 24 which abutsconducting ring 19.

Adjacent the flange 22, the interior surface of sleeve 21 is formed itha frusto-conical surface 24. An O-ring 25 can be disposed between thedisc 14 and the conical surface 24 to aid in sealing tank 6, and areturn current conductor 26 is connected to the wall of the tank 6through ring 19.

The electrical circuitry for the embodiment of FIG. 1

is designated by a power main 32 controlled by a switch and a currentlimiting device feeding into a transformer 34. A pair of rectifyingcircuits 36 and 38 lead from the Patented Sept. 11, 1973 secondarywindings of the transformer 34. The circuit 36 leads through arectifying diode 40 and a silicon controlled rectifier 42 to theelectrode conductor 24 and returns through the return conductor 26. Thecircuit 38 includes a pilot light 44, a rectifier composed of rectifyingdiodes 46 and a regulator 48 made up of transistors T1 and T2 and aZener diode 50. The above components made up by the described circuitryare known in the art and the particular circuitry is a matter of choiceas is well known to the designer skilled in the art, so long as a directcurrent signal of controlled voltage level is provided.

A conductor 52 connects the voltage regulator 48 to a free-runningmulti-vibrator 54 which, through transistors T3 and T4, provides asquare wave signal, the frequency and/ or shape of which is controlledby mechanically interconnected variable resistors 56. The signal fromthe multi-vibrator is transmitted to an amplifier 58 where theconductive level is controlled by variable resistor 60. The output fromthe amplifier 58 transmitted to a pulse transformer which transmits aspike pulse through a diode 64 to the silicon controlled rectifier 42for transmission to the electrode 16 through the conductor 24.

In operation, the pulse rate and intensity excitation is determined andset into the circuitry through the proper adjustment of the control forthe multi-vibrator 54 and the conductive level adjustment for theamplifier 58. A fluid is circulated through the inlet 8 in the tank 6and the electrode is energized so that electrostatic pulses of thedesired rate and amplitude is imported to the fluid between the anode 13and the wall of tank 6.

Turning now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a vacuum tube equivalent of thecircuit of FIG. 1 is illustrated. In this figure, componentscorresponding to like components of the preceding figure are indicatedby like numerals only of the next higher order. In this figure, theapparatus 104 is connected to an electrode conductor 124 and a returnconductor 126 which are, in turn, connected to pulse rate and wave shapeforming circuitry which circuitry consists in most aspects of a vacuumtube equivalent of the transistorized circuit shown in FIG. 1. In thisfigure, power mains 132 are connected to a transformer 134 through aswitch and current limiting device. A first secondary coil in thetransformer 134 is connected to a rectifying circuit 136 which, througha diode rectifier 140 is connected to the electrode conductor 124. Acircuit 166, bypassing the transformer 134, is connected on one side, tothe return conductor 126 and on the other side, to a free-runningmulti-vibrator 154. The free-running multi-vibrator 154- comprises apair of triodes 168, the cathodes of which are connected to the circuit166 and the plates of which are connected to the return side of thecircuit 166 through a rectifying diode 146. Interconnected variableresistors 156 control the bias on the grid of the triodes 168 so thatthe frequencies of the square wave pulse emitted from the multi-vibrator154 are regulated in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.The output from the multivibrator 154 is transmitted to a pentodeamplifier 158 the conductive level thereof being controlled by avariable resistor 160. The output from the amplifier 158 is transmittedto the electrode and return conduits 124 and 126, respectively. The waveform of the output is altered between by the discharge device 142 toprovide a spiked pulse signal when desired.

The vacuum tube circuitry, as shown in FIG. 2, operates in a mannersimilar to that of the transistorized circuitry of FIG. 1 for the samepurposes. By control of the free-running multi-vibrator 154 and theconductive level of the amplifier 158, the pulse rate and the wave shapeimparted to fluid in the tank 104 can be adjusted.

In FIG. 3, apparatus for utilizing the device of this invention inmultiple or bank form is shown. In this figure,

a pair of tanks areconnected in parallel through an inlet conduit 70connected to the inlets 8A and 8B of the tanks shown and an outletconduit 72 connects the outlets 10A and 10B of the tanks shown. Theelectrode conduits 24A and 24B and the return conduits 26A and 26B areconnected to buses 74 and 76 as shown. A plurality of tanks can bearranged in this manner to impart a succession of pulses to travelingfluid.

What has been set forth above is intended as exemplary of teachings inaccordance with the invention to enable those skilled in the art in thepractice thereof. It should, therefore, be understood that, within thescope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other thanas specifically described.

What is novel and therefore desired .to be protected by Letters Patentof the United States is:

1. An apparatus for imparting an electrical pulse to a moving fluidcomprising,

a cylindrical container having an inlet and an outlet,

an elongated tubular element member extending into said container anddefining an annular space therewith,

first means for circulating a fluid from said inlet through said annularspace and departing through said outlet,

a plastic disc means afiixed to one end of said electrode,

second means engaging the periphery of said disc means and supportingsaid electrode member in spaced, insulated relation along the axis ofsaid cylindrical container,

2. source of low frequency, pulsating electrical energy connected tosaid electrical and said container for imparting a low frequencyelectrostatic pulse to a fluid in said container,

a first conducting ring electrically connected to said source andmounted on said disc, at second conducting ring on said discelectrically connected to ground potential, third means powered by acontrolled source of direct current energy to vary the frequency andintensity of said pulse including in series, 1

a free-running multivibrator having a circuit means for adjusting thefrequency thereof, an input adjustment means for varying the amplitudeof the output of said free-running multivibrator, an output transistoramplifier connected to the input adjustment means, and an output pulsegenerator connected to the output of said transistor amplifier forproviding said electrostatic pulse to the fluid in said container. 2.The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein a plurality ofcontainers are connected in parallel with said first-mentionedcontainer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,528,905 9/ 1970 Miller 204-275X 3,402,120 9/1968 Allen et a1. 204-149'X 3,480,529 11/ 1969 Waltrip204-149 X 3,625,884 12/1971 Waltrip 204-149 X 3,637,482 1/ 1972 Vajda204-228 JOHN H. MACK, Primary Examiner D. R. VALENTINE, AssistantExaminer US. Cl. X.R. 204-275, 305

